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White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
#49220 02/10/17 10:11 AM
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Steve C Offline OP
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From the UC White Mountain Research Center     (FB Link)

Edit: White Mountain Research Center's facebook open gate posting has disappeared. Here is a better link:

WMRC Community Outreach

Quote:
OPEN GATE DAYS - 2017

WMRC will hold two OPEN GATE DAYS in 2017.

The dates are: Sunday, July 30, 2017 and Sunday, September 3, 2017.

The gate will open at approximately 6:30 AM and close at about 7:30 PM. See Flyer for more info. Hikers will be allowed to park at the Barcroft Station and hike from there to the summit of White Mountain Peak. Portable toilets will be available outside the station for public use. The Barcroft Station WILL NOT be opened to the public on these days. We ask that you do not disturb the station staff or researchers and please follow any parking restrictions.

* NOTE: The Barcroft Station is located at 12,500 feet elevation. Discomfort and altitude sickness can happen to anyone regardless of age or physical condition. If you question your reaction to high-altitude environments, please consult your physician before attempting to drive to the Barcroft Station to climb White Mountain Peak.

* Please call or e-mail ahead to find out what the road conditions are like this year.

* Weather can change at any time without warning, bringing dangerous thunderstorms and snow accumulation. Please be observant of this and prepared for your own safety.


Last edited by Steve C; 05/21/17 01:55 PM.
Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
Steve C #49221 02/11/17 07:17 AM
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Thank you Steve for posting this.

Because of all the posts about the extra snow, we pushed our trip to hike White Mountain back from early June to later in the summer. Our flights arrive on July 29th and return on August 8th.

For acclimation, we had an initial plan to sleep 1 night each at Whitney Portal Campground, then Horseshoe Meadow parking area, and then at the White Mountain locked gate.

Great news that the Barcroft gate is open on Sunday the 30th because we were only going to use the 30th as a day to get food and supplies. But now we can also drive up to Barcroft on Sunday and get a preview of the 1st couple miles of the trail.

Thanks again
Jeff

Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
JMH #49222 02/11/17 08:07 AM
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Grandview campground is just 5 miles from the Schulman Grove visitor center, on the road up to White Mountain Station. It would give you a night or two to acclimate without having to descend back down to the Lone Pine altitude. Campground altitude is 8,600 feet.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=20268

Aside from having to bring all your own water, it is clean and has toilets. No reservations, but plenty of first come first served campsites. I have stayed there many times and found it to be a good base for White Mountain hikes. As it's name implies, it provides wonderful panoramic views of the Sierras. And no bears!

Last edited by Bob West; 02/11/17 10:11 AM.
Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
Bob West #49223 02/13/17 04:52 AM
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While I've never camped at the TH near the Barcroft gate, I've noticed that often others have. I've found that driving times between the Grandview CG and the gate can be as long as 90 minutes, depending upon road conditions. The road is paved up to the Shulmann VC, but not beyond (or at least it wasn't the last time I was there 2 years ago). Depending upon when it was last graded, it can be quite rough, and the rocks sharp - seen lots of vehicles with flats.

Always impressed with how many marmots there are at the Barcroft gate area, and for the next couple of miles heading towards White Mtn.

Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
KevinR #49224 02/13/17 08:58 AM
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At the Mt. Barcroft gate trailhead (12,000') there might be enough space to pitch a few small tents, and there are couple of fire rings. No reservations are needed for camping but a campfire permit is required and available from USFS office in Bishop. No toilets and no water.

Because of the heavy snow-pack this year, there could be road damage during the Spring runoff. Check with the USFS White Mountain ranger station in Bishop before travelling up there.

Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
Bob West #49225 02/13/17 11:41 AM
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At the Barcroft gate there is a toilet building. It was functional when I last used it in September 2015. You can see the spot on Google Earth at 37.557715 -118.236237. The image I got from GE was from September 2013 and shows ten vehicles, room for a couple dozen more and no fire rings. There is also no wood available in that area.

There is a section of pavement (not asphalt) on the steep section from Campito Meadow up to the turnoff to the Patriarch Grove. I assume this was done to reduce the need for repairs after spring runoff.

After one visit to White Mountain I was told by the fellow at a tire store in Bishop who was charging two new tires on my credit card that the County of Inyo had once considered paving more of the road, but that the Owens Valley tire store lobby had successfully defeated the measure.

Dale B. Dalrymple

Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
Steve C #49253 02/19/17 12:07 PM
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Just now reading Colin Fletcher's account of his visit to this station in 1958 (Thousand Mile Summer). The researcher in charge not only invited him in for dinner with a nice red, but gave him the key to the summit station for the next day and night. Those were the days.


Wherever you go, there you are.
SPOTMe!
Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
saltydog #49254 02/19/17 12:23 PM
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About 20 years ago, an Inyo ranger sent me the key to the locked gate on the road at the winter closure spot (just past the Sierra View overlook, several miles before Schulman Grove) so we could get snowmobiles past. Not any more.

Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
Steve C #49264 02/21/17 06:14 AM
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What is the hiking distance from the Barcroft Station to the WM summit?
Estimated time?

Last edited by ScottHikerEsq; 02/21/17 06:14 AM.
Re: White Mountain Research Center -- 2017 Open Gate days
ScottHikerEsq #49265 02/21/17 09:05 AM
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About 5 miles. The open gate reduces the distance by 2 miles.

There is about 2k elevation climb to the peak. So about 4 hours might be average.


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